The Case Of The Deaf Mute & The “Racketeer” Nickel
Extremely Scarce and Hard To Find – The Extraordinary 1883 24-Karat Gold Plated “Racketeer” Nickel
Doing research for other gold coins, I stumbled across a story about a 24 karat gold plated coin. I found it so interesting that I wanted to share it here. I know that it isn't a real gold coin, but please bear with me and hopefully enjoy this story.
The year is 1883 and one that will go down in the numismatic hall of fame. It was the last year for the Shield Nickel and the first year for the Liberty Head “V” Nickel. This particular nickel had two varieties. The first Liberty Head nickels that were minted had, on the obverse, Lady Liberty and the year. The reverse had “E Pluribus Unum” and “United States of America”, along with a large, Roman “V”, surrounded by a wreath. At the time, the Liberty Head five dollar gold coin was being minted as well, whose obverse bore a resemblance to the Liberty Head nickel. Both had a portrait of Lady Liberty, with her hair pulled back, and wearing a tiara with the word “Liberty” imprinted on it. The year of issue was below her image, with thirteen stars surrounding her.
If you put the nickel and the five dollar gold coin side by side, you can clearly see the differences in Lady Liberty’s hairstyle and tiara. However, there were big differences on the reverse, with the nickel having the large “V” in the middle and the five dollar gold coin having an eagle holding olive branches, arrows and the shield. Plus, the five dollar coin had a reeded edge. Finally, the diameter of both coins was very similar. The five dollar gold coin has a diameter of 21.65 millimeters and the Liberty nickel’s diameter is 21.2 millimeters.
Meticulous In Detail With Stunning Eye Appeal—Unique Quarter Eagle Coins
One of the most sought after coins, which a collector would love to add to his or her collection, is the rare Quarter Eagle. These exquisite coins, which are of the highest value, were minted in the 1800’s. The rarity of these eagle quarters was realized as early as the 1920’s by collectors. The most valuable one is the Liberty Gold Eagle, which was minted from 1816 through 1857, featuring a new design by Christian Gobrecht. His composition of Miss Liberty’s head became the most widely accepted and long-lasting of all coinage designs of the nineteenth century. This particular coin has, on the obverse, the inspiring image of Lady Liberty, facing to the left, with “Liberty” inscribed on her crown. She also has thirteen stars surrounding her. The reverse has the American bald eagle, with a shield on its chest and an olive branch and arrows clutched in its talons.
Another one of the hard-to-find quarter eagles, which are highly coveted, is the proof 1878 Quarter Eagle. This proof was actually part of only three other proofs that had a minting of less than twenty in total. Many of the gold proofs that were minted only had a run of about one hundred total, during the entire history of the eagle quarters. During the 1800’s to the early 1900’s, proofs were struck in gold for the sole purpose of collectors. The 1878 Quarter Eagle is one of the most uncommon quarter eagles that can still be found. It is reported that there are maybe only a handful of these quarters still in existence. There are two of these rare quarters that have been impounded and stored. One is at the Smithsonian and the other is at the American Numismatists Society. It has been reported, that in recent years, there have been only a few show up on the auction market, which have turned quite a bit of profit for the person who was selling them.
The reason that the unique quarter eagles are so sought after is the fact that they were struck with such a high gold content. These particular eagles were put into production by an act of Congress in 1792, as a derivation of the ten dollar eagle. Since there were very few of these quarters struck prior to 1832, it adds to their rarity. It was initially valued at $2.50, but is worth so much more in today’s terms. Some of these difficult-to-locate quarter eagles have been known to sell for in upwards of millions of dollars, depending on the overall grade of the coin. There are many variations of these quarter eagles. Some of these are the Liberty Head, the Capped Head and the Indian Head quarters. You would be very hard pressed to find any serious collector who wouldn’t want to add one of these quarters to his or her collection. Part of the reason it is so hard to find one of these rare quarters, is the fact that the life expectancy of proof gold was only half of its original mintage. During the entire history of the quarter eagle, there were only two that were also associated with commemorative coins. These were the 1915-S Panama-Pacific Exposition Quarter Eagle and the 1926 Independence Sesquicentennial Quarter Eagle. Whether for fun or for profit, collecting these bullion coins is an investment in the history of our great nation.
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The Quarter Eagle, A Unique $2.50 Gold Piece—Truly A Treasured Find!
The $2.50 gold piece, or more commonly called the Quarter Eagle, was given the name Quarter Eagle by an act of Congress in 1792. It is a common misconception that the term “eagle” was just slang, but thanks to the Coinage Act, it formally secured that name in the annals of history. The Quarter Eagle was designed initially by Robert Scot. It was a denominational variation of the ten gold eagles. It was minted in very limited quantities, during the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Prior to 1933, it was common practice of the government to mint coins with gold, due to the fact that it was the common standard on which monetary value was based. When they were initially started in production, the gold content varied until the fineness of it was set at .900 by an act of Congress in 1837. It was in the 20’s and 30’s that numismatics truly realized the collectible value of these coins, especially the gold proofs that were made. Some of the proofs were only minted in quantities of about twenty, but never exceeded one hundred in total.
The most commonly known, rare $2.50 gold piece is the 1878 Liberty Gold Eagle. The obverse of this coin contains a bust of Lady Liberty, her face pointing to the left, wearing a coronet emblazoned with the word “Liberty”. The reverse is adorned by an American bald eagle, grasping an olive branch and arrows in its talons. This particular coin was probably melted down after it went unsold, due to the purity level of the gold used in the proof. Today only a few of these particularly rare $2.50 quarter eagles exist in collections around the world. There is one that is impounded in the Smithsonian. In today’s terms, the true value of this coin would be over thirty dollars. In recent years, one of these coins sold at auction for $32,570.00.
For any serious collector, having the opportunity to add one of these rare $2.50 gold pieces to their collection, is a driving force behind the high selling prices of them at auction. For someone to find a rare $2.50 quarter eagle, that was struck prior to 1834, it is extremely unusual and truly a treasured find. Proofs of these coins, that were struck prior to 1856, are unequivocally rare coins to find and to be coveted in whatever condition they are found. When the U.S. went off the gold standard in 1933, it made finding one of the Quarter Eagles even more difficult. There are several variations of these uncommon $2.50 gold pieces; some of which are the Capped Head, the Liberty Head and the Indian Head quarter. Each of these variations has a different face, but the flip side of it also has the iconic symbol of our nation, the majestic bald eagle. That rare collector, who has the fortune to possess even one of these rare and incredible coins in their collection, has the ability to not only brag about having such a unique coin, but also be able to hold a piece of our nation’s financial history. You can find some of these rare quarter eagles at GovMint.com! Click here!
1 Oz Gold American Eagle
Worth its weight in gold, the one-ounce American Gold Eagle coin is a rock-solid investment with stability. It is the number one gold bullion coin in the world whose weight, content and purity is guaranteed by the U.S. government. The American Eagle gold bullion series debuted in 1986 and are minted in twenty-two karat solid gold. The obverse (front) design is inspired by what’s often considered one of America’s most beautiful coins: Augustus Saint Gaudens’ celebrated $20 gold piece, minted from 1907-1933. The American Eagle’s obverse design features a rendition of the full-length figure of Lady Liberty with flowing hair, holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, with the Capitol building in the left background. Sculptor Miley Busiek designed the reverse of the coin, featuring a male eagle carrying an olive branch, flying above a nest containing a female eagle and her hatchlings. This particular composition is to signify the strength, security and unity of the American family.
The Gold American Eagle coin offers a tangible beauty. Hold it in your hand and appreciate its artistry and symbolism! See this exceptional coin at GovMint.com for rare Gold coins! Click here!
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